39 states and growing

Laws governing how much distance is required when passing a cyclist vary by state. Most states now have a law that requires “at least three feet” of clearance when passing a cyclist. Some states only require “a safe distance” while others get more specific. Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and Massachusetts for example require “at least four feet”.

The information contained below is gathered and maintained as best we can.  If you are aware of anything different in your state, please let us know.  Just send an e-mail to info@3FeetPlease.com and we’ll do the research and update our information.  There are also many great cycling advocacy groups around the country that provide detailed information about cycling in their specific areas of the country.  The League of American Bicyclists (around since 1880) is a wonderful source of all-things-bike.  Bikelaw.com has a wealth of information regarding specific laws in specific States.  FindLaw.com and Justia.com are also very helpful in finding an easy-to-read version of the law for most states.

The “Ranking” information in our "State-by-State" section comes from the “2022 Bicycle Friendly State” rankings published by The League of American Bicyclists.  Information about each state’s report card is included in the state details.  A summary of all the 2022 rankings can be found here:

https://bikeleague.org/content/state-report-cards

A summary chart for the League's rankings can be found here:

https://bikeleague.org/sites/default/files/BFS_2022_Overall_Rankings_Chart_v2.pdf

Finally, if you are aware of any upcoming activities to make cycling safer in your area, please let us know.  Or, if you are an advocacy group for your area that we can add to our growing list of resources, we would love that information too.

Notice: The information contained on this page, or in any provided link, might be updated at any time and not necessarily reflect the latest information available. Please check with the state, or search the state laws, to review the latest version of any legislation.